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I’m looking to plan a lakes and mountains holiday for the family in August as an alternative to our usual UK coastal trip, however having never done anything like this before, I don’t really know where to start. I’m looking for recommnedations for destinations and hotels within easy reach (~ 2 hours drive) of an airport where we can base ourseleves for a week and do short trips out from there. Kids are 7 and 9 and happy to be outdoors most of the day walking, cycling etc. provided there are plenty of snacking stops en route.
Have been looking at the NE Italy / Dolomites and areas around the Austrian / Swiss border but open to other suggestions – France, Slovenia, Pyrenees?
Thanks
Starting with the obvious: The Lake District and North Wales. With the surf school still out of action, Hilton Snowdonia is probably not so expensive even on peak dates.
Far less obvious but amazing in every way: Yellowstone National Park; you’d have to take an internal flight from a USA city to Bozeman to keep the drive to 2 hrs, but the drive up from Salt Lake (itself very interesting) is a really easy 4 hrs and encompasses plenty of interest (Grand Teton Park, Jackson Hole, etc).
Lake Garda offers lots of family friendliness (even a theme park if you want) but also history, lakiness, food, scecluded villages and hiking as you head north. The ferry can take you all over the lake away from any crowds if you wish.
In August I’d also consider more northerly as walking all day in 35C is not so much fun. Others here will know much more about Scandinavian destinations than I do.
Unless you are happy all 4 sharing a single room, self-contained accomodation rather than a hotel is likely to be wallet-friendly; and may suit better for muddy walking boots, bikes and hiking gear to wash?
We went a few years ago several times to St Johann in Austria close to Kitzbuel which ticked the boxes for us with younger teens at the time. Good weather big outdoor pool and activities such as walking karting down the mountain and tame white water rafting etc. We flew into Salzburg but also accessible from Munich and Innsbruck.
Take a look at the Falkensteiner Hotels In Austria and Italy, there should be a good option or two from some of the details you have mentioned. Some of their hotels are excellent for children too.
Slovenia is an excellent options which I’d highly recommend.
A few hours drive from Ljubljana (which is an excellent city in it’s own right), you get to Lake Bled. From there, there are also many smaller lakes you can visit.
Slovenia is very well set up for tourists, relatively quiet compared to the other popular destinations in the summer, and it’s as hot.
Thanks for all the suggestions – plenty to look at.
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